Various recording apparatus are used to form images on recording substrates. For example, images can be formed on a recording media by mounting the recording media on a support and operating a recording head comprising a plurality of marking elements to form the images on the media. In such systems, images can be formed by various processes. For example, the marking elements can be operable for emitting image forming radiation beams. In other examples, the marking elements can be operated to emit an image forming material onto a recording media to form an image. For example, in various inkjet applications marking elements are used to emit drops of image forming materials suitable for forming images on various recording media. Typically, these image forming material are in a fluid state. Inkjet processes can include continuous inkjet and drop-on-demand inkjet processes.
Various image features are formed on a recording media by combining image elements (i.e. also known as image pixels or dots) into arrangements representative of the features. Typically, each arrangement comprises a regular pattern of the image elements.
Increased productivity requirements have lead to the use of recording heads with ever increasing numbers of marking elements. Despite these larger numbers however, it still can be necessary to merge a plurality of sub-images to create a desired image in many applications. Merging sub-images without artifacts along their merged borders, or in regions where the sub-images may overlap, is desirable. Banding refers to an artifact that may appear as patterns of density variations. Typically, banding can occur in the regions where various sub-images are merged. Artifacts such as banding can be caused by placement errors of the image elements on the recording media or by visual characteristic variations among the image elements.
Various factors can adversely affect the placement requirements of the formed sub-images. One such factor is the actual size of each sub-image. A required positioning of one sub-image relative to another sub-image requires that various relevant dimensions of the sub-images be precisely determined to avoid undesired overlaps or gaps between the positioned sub-images.
There remains a need for effective and practical methods and systems that can be employed to accurately and efficiently determine various dimensions of regular patterns of elements. There remains a need for effective and practical methods and systems that can be employed to accurately and efficiently determine dimensions of various sub-images that are to be combined to form an image with desired visual quality attributes.